E449 

.M48 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDDD173fll3t, 



•^ Wi 







s «' 












V->^. 



4^ ... % •* A<^ <* *>?!t*V 



^^ '^ik v^^ o' 













AN 



ADDRESS 



TO ALL THE 



COLORED CITIZENS 



UNITED STATES. 
BY JOHN B. MEACHUM, 

PASTOR OF THE AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH, ST. LOUIS', MO. 



Ethiopia shall aoon stretch out her hands unto God.— Psalm 68, 31. 



PHILADELPHIA : 
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, 

BY KING AND BAIRD. 

1846. 



PREFACE . 



Dear Friends:— The author of this little book 
was bora a slave, in Goochland county, Vir- 
ginia, May 3d, 1789. I belonged to a man by 
the name of Paul Meachum, who moved to 
North Carolina, and lived there nine years. He 
then moved to Hardin county, Kentucky, where 
I still remained a slave with him. He was a 
good man and I loved him, but could not feel 
myself satisfied, for he was very old, and looked 
as if death was drawing near to him. So I 
proposed to him to hire my time, and he granted 
it. By working in a saltpetre cave I earned 
enough to purchase my freedom. 

Still I was not satisfied, for I had left my 
father in old Virginia, and he was a slave. It 
seemed to me, at times, though I was seven 
■hundred miles from him, that I held conversa- 
tion with him, for he was near my heart. How- 
ever this did not stop here, for industry will do 
a great deal. In a short time I went to Vir- 
ginia, and bought my father, and paid one 
hundred pounds for him, Virginia money. It 



was a joyful meeting when we met together, 
for we had been apart a long time. He was a 
Baptist preacher, living in Hanover county, and 
went b-y the name of Thomas Granger. While 
there, on a Sunday morning after 1 had bought 
the old man, he was singing and my eyes filled 
with tears. He turned to me and said, " you are 
yet in your sins.'^ His words went to my heart, 
and I began to pray and seek the Lord. Four 
weeks from that day I found peace in believing 
upon the Lord Jesus, related my experience to 
the church, and was baptized by elder Purinton, 
in Louisa county. This was in the year 1811, 
when I was about twenty-one years old. My 
father and myself then earned enough to pay 
our expenses on the way, and putting our 
knapsacks on our backs walked seven hundred 
miles to Hardin county, Kentuckj^ Here the 
Old man met his wife and all his children, who 
had been there several years. Oh there was 

ml 

In a short time, my mother and all her child- 
ren received their liberty, of their good old 
master. My father and his family settled in 
Harrison county, Indiana. 

I married a slave in Kentucky, whose master 
soon took her to St. Louis, *in Missouri. I fol- 
lowed her, arriving there in 1815, with three 
dollars in my pocket. Being a carpenter and 
cooper I soon obtained business, and purchased 
my wife and children. Since that period, I 
have purchased about twenty slaves, most of 



whom paid back the greatest part of the 
money, and some paid all. They are all free 
at this time, and doing well, excepting one, who 
happened to be a drunkard, and no drunkard 
can do well. One of the twenty colored friends 
that I bought is worthy to be taken notice of, 
to show what industry will do. I paid for him 
one thousand dollars. He worked and paid 
back the thousand dollars. He has also bought 
a lot of ground for which he paid a thousand 
dollars. He married a slave and bought her, 
and paid seven hundred dollars for her. He 
has built a house that cost him six hundred 
dollars. He is a blacksmUh, and has worked 
for one man ever since he has been in St. Louis. 
So much for industry. 

I commenced preaching in 1821, and was or- 
dained as a minister of the gospel in 1825. From 
that time to this, I have been the pastor of the 
African Baptist Church in St. Louis, which has 
now more than five hundred members. The 
Sunday school has an attendance from one 
hundred and fifty to three hundred. 

I have written this little book to show you 
the great desire I have for the- welfare of this 
people. I hope each colored person will read 
this with a great deal of care, knowing it is for 
your welfare, both soul and body. My dear 
friends, I have been looking at the long distance 
this people is behind others, and it makes my 
boul mourn their sad state. I will tell you 
what I have been thinking of, — I have thought 
1* 



it likely that this people is away from home, 
and God hath got a place somewhere that they 
can see great comfort and satisfaction. And so 
friends, let us become united, and keep in union 
against the time comes. 

Do not look at this little book with a careless 
eye, but receive instruction and advice. I want 
you to take notice that Israel started very fair 
for the promised land, all minds bent the way 
God told them to go. But they rebelliously 
turned back in heart, and God left them to wan- 
der in the wilderness till all the old heads died, 
excepting Caleb and Joshua. It was only 
about forty days journey in a straight course, 
but God made them wander forty years before 
they reached Canaan. So, my friends, we 
may start fair for this union, and a great many 
may turn back in heart, and never enter the 
promised land. He that puts his hand to the 
plough and looks back is not fit for the king- 
dom. 

My heart is enlarged for the welfare of this 
people. I wish them to be industrious and 
religious in their feelings. If union is God 
Almighty's plan, let us hasten to it. The bles- 
sing of God will rest upon us. But we may 
reject the council of the Father of Light and 
Knowledge to our hurt. 

Be faithful unto death, and you shall have a 
crown of life. • 

John B. Meachum. 

SL Louis y Jiugusty 1846. 



ADDRESS. 



Psalm 133, 1st verse. " Behold, how good and how plea- 
sant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity 1" 

Providence has placed us all on the shores 
of America — and God has said, " Ethiopia 
shall soon stretch out her hands unto God." 
Psalm 68, 31. 

This being true, is it not necessary that some 
exertion should be made ? Ought we not to 
use our influence and the means placed in 
our power for the consummation of this end. 
All will admit that we are capable of elevating 
ourselves, for we have once been distinguished 
as one of the greatest nations, and it is reason- 
able to suppose that what has once been can 
be again. Sin has degraded us, but righteous- 
ness will exalt us. We are under positive 
moral obligations to effect this object, by our 
religious influence, by mental culture, and by 
appropriating a portion of our worldly goods 
to the accomplishment of this end. Should we 
wilfully neglect embracing the facilities and 
means we have of effecting this object, it will 
be said to us on the final day of accounts, 
-'' depart from me, for ye knew your duty and 
did it not." 



8 

I now proceed to state by what means we 
came to America, and the cause of our degra- 
dation as a people. History informs us that the 
first inhabitants of America who came from Af- 
rica were transported from Guinea. Las Casas, 
who was a great friend to the Indians, who were 
then forced to work in mines by he Spaniardts, 
interposed, and had these Africans forced to do 
that which the Indians had been compelled to do. 
The Indians therefore were released from bond- 
age'entirely, and the Africans made to substitute 
them. Thus you perceive he enslaves one na- 
tion to liberate the other. Strange benevolence 
this, that he should employ so much of his time 
and influence in securing liberty to the Indians, 
while at the same time he made every possible 
effort to reduce the African to the same state 
of servitude ! He went so far as to go to 
Spain and procure a grant for the transporta- 
tion of four thousand negroes in order to se- 
cure to the Indians their personal rights and 
freedom. 

About 1620 a Dutch vessel brought African 
slaves to the colony of Jamestown, Virginia. 

Our people had war among themselves in 
Africa. They brought wuh them the same 
principles here, — envy, hatred, malice, jealousy. 
The principles which they possessed, originated 
doubtless, from ignorance and from the fact 
that they belonged to separate kingdoms and 
fought against each other while there, and cou- 



sequently retained the same feelings of hostility 
and enmity abroad. 

God has formed man out of .clay, and all na- 
tions have sprung therefrom. It is therefore not 
natural for man to hate his fellow, but it is to 
be traced to other causes. Shall we then who 
are of the same species, same color, &c., culti- 
vate and cherish a principle so contrary to rea- 
son and scripture, and in its consequences so 
direful and disastrous ? 

Our people can only distinguish themselves 
as a nation by " fearing God," and '^ working 
righteousness," for " righteousness exalteth a 
nation, But sin is a reproach to any people." 
We must therefore be united in love and affec- 
tion—our interests, aims, and hopes must be 
one — for in the language of the text, " Behold 
how good and how pleasant it is for brethren 
to dwell together in unity !" We must culivate 
all the christian graces which the apostle Peter 
recommends — "add to your faith virtue, and 
to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge tem- 
perance, and to temperance patience, and to 
patience godliness, a^nd to godliness brotherly 
kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity." 
Upon the exercise of these graces and christian 
qualities depend our elevation in this life, and 
our eternal happiness in the woi;ld to come. 

We must have union — we "can and must 
have it, else we shall remain in darkness, igno- 
rance and superstition, in a state of moral and 
intellectual degradation. It is an old maxim 



10 

with which you are all famiUar — ^'^ii union 
there is strengtli." Again, " united we stand, 
divided we fall.'^ Let us then be of one mind, 
and one spirit, and cultivate that principle of 
true benevolence which will exert a wholesome 
and salutary influence on the world, secure the 
blessings of God upon us, and benefit our own 
son Is. 

Diversity of opinion may exist in regard to 
the formation of this union. One may assert, 
I am a Methodist, another, I am a Baptist, and 
another, I am a Presbyterian, but different 
persuasions should not prevent our union, — we 
should not possess any sectarian feeling or 
party spirit. Union should be our constant 
watchword — it should be the standard to which 
all of us should rally. As in family relations, 
so in national affairs, — for example, a man and 
his wife are at variance, they disagree among 
themselves, but let any thing arise pertaining 
to the interest of the whole family, all minor 
differences and opinions are forthwith for- 
gotten and they become united as one. Let 
us then, at this 'important crisis when a tnatter 
is pending which is bearing upon our present 
and eternal destiny, lose sight of all party 
spirit and sectarian feelings, and unite in one 
band of love, for, as says the Psalmist, " Be- 
hold how good and how pleasant it is for 
brethren to dwell together in unity !" 

Union must begin among the free, then ex- 
tend to all. Excuse the remark, I care not 



11 

where it' commence, but it is more in the power 
of the free to promote it than those who are 
differently situated, and I verily believe that 
only a portion of the free should be consulted 
in the outset — they should be men of worth, 
good, moral, religious, intelligent, influential 
men, whose only object would be to promote 
the glory of God and to do good to their fellow 
men ; with such men at the head, great and 
wonderful things could be accomplished. Mo- 
ses, for example, did not go to all the Israelites, 
but to the elders only when he called the peo- 
ple together. I will state some measures or 
plan by which the elders could assemble them- 
selves together, and devise some method to 
effect this great and important object. In order 
to do this, I would propose that a Convention 
be held at some time and place, and ministers 
of all denominations be invited to attend, and 
adopt some measures to attain this point, which 
if attained will be instrumental in securing for 
us peace, happiness and liberty. 

It is a common thing for people t-o suppose 
that our oppression is occasioned by severe re- 
strictions and disabilities laid upon us by others, 
but the truth is you keep yourselves down, for 
as long as you continue 'to speak evil one of 
the other and use abusive epithets, and back- 
bite, ridicule and reproach one another with 
opprobrious names, just so long will you be op- 
pressed, for it is an old and true maxitn, "if you 



12 

do not respect yourself others will not respect 
you.*' 

The term Negro originated from a river in 
Africa called Niger, but it is now used as a 
term of reproach by both black and white — 
we must therefore stop it, for unless we do, 
others will use and apply those terms to us 
with impunity. Yea, the great misfortune is 
that you do not respect yourselves suffici- 
ently; families, societies, religious denomina- 
tions speak evil one of another, and thereby in 
a great measure destroy the influeuce which 
they might otherwise exert. To sum up all in 
a few words, "these things ought not so to 
be." 

Many years have elapsed and no general 
steps have as yet been taken — it is time we 
were up and doing. We should shake off our 
lethargy and make the best use of the means 
we have. In the first place, parents should by 
no means neglect the education of their child- 
ren, but should endeavor to instil such prin- 
ciples in them when young as could never be 
eradicated by time, place, or circumstance. — 
You are all aware that impressions can be made 
upon the mind of the child when young which 
will be as lasting as time itself, for, says Solo- 
mon, " train up a child the way he should go 
and when he is old he will not depart from 
it." Prov. xxii. 6. We should obey God, for 
obedience, as saith the scripture, is better than 



13 

sacrifice. When the children of Israel obeyed 
Moses, the enemy fell on every side; when dis- 
obedient they were conquered by their enemies ; 
We cannot therefore expect to accomplish any 
thing until we are living in the discharge of 
every duty urged upon us by the Lord, "for 
success is from the Lord, without him we can 
do nothing." 

When this union of sentiment, feeling and 
affection is formed and established among us, 
we can by the organization of societies, the 
erection of schools and the establishment of 
colleges, institutions and seminaries of learning, 
soon arrive to the same scale of being which 
those who are considered our superiors have 
attained. We are susceptible of acquiring the 
same attainments and arriving to the same 
elevation that others have attained, which can 
be substantially proved by history or analogy, 
reason and philosophy. Shall we not, I then 
ask, attain this end — ought we not ? Surely 
none will say, Nay. Then let us be united. 

Let us well consider these things. Look at 
the young and rising generation. See the great 
massif them growing up without education. 
What is the reason of this ? We answer, be- 
cause the fathers are not united, and the children 
growing up without union to the great body of 
I their fellow beings of the same color. The 
mother hath not taught it to the child, and he 
has nothing to rouse his mind to action. But 
et us take it in consideration now and wake 
2 



14 

lip the minds of our children. We are bound by 
the law of God and man, and our gopd sense, 
to train up our children in the way they shall 
go when young, that when they grow old 
they should not depart from it. " Love your 
neighbor as yourself," is the command of the 
New Testament. We are morally bound by 
the law of God to teach this to our children. 
Union is love. What father is in the world 
that cannot teach the child this principle that 
the Savior hath commanded? Surely our 
people have not considered what God hath re- 
quired of us to do for the young race of peo- 
ple. Our fathers were not able to do any thing 
for us as to education, and we feel the need of 
it. So, reader, let us duly consider what is 
best for this people and hasten to do it. Union 
is the strong cord that binds nations together. 
Then let the mother teach it to the child, and 
let the father not forget that he is accountable 
before God for the raising of his children. 
Recollect that for the faithfulness of Noah God 
gave him his children to be saved with him. 
** And the Lord said unto Noah, come thou and 
all thy house into the ark; for thee have I 
seen ri'ghteous before me in this generation." 
Genesis vii. 1. Then let us wake up in this 
matter, that we may be enabled to teach men 
fully the way to those under our control. 
Union ! oh this lovely union exalts nations and 
keeps heaven secure. Then let us look around 
and see how far our people are from being a 



15 

united people. Now what can we expect if 
we continue to stand in the same condition, — 
no union existing among so large a mass of 
people. The God of heaven is willing for us 
to be a unhed people. The Lord Jesus Christ 
himselfsays,"how often would I have gathered 
thy children together, as a hen doth gather her 
brood under her wings, and ye would not.'' 
Luke xiii. 34. Then let us look to him with 
a full purpose of heart that this union may be 
effected. We have every thing before us. 
Here are the gospel ministers that cannot teach 
any thing else to their hearers consistent with 
the doctrines which they preach, peace and 
love and union with all men. Now, my breth- 
ren, let us look at this matter and see if we 
are not a great way off from being in union. 
Still, you say, ^^you must love one another, 
this is the good doctrine that God the eternal 
loves." Then, I ask the reader, why stand 
you so far from being a united people ? The 
word of God tells us, "ask, and it shall be 
given you; seek, and y^ shall find." Luke xi. 
10. And again he tells us, '^ If any of you lack 
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to 
all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it 
shall be given him." James i. 5. Have you 
done it ? If you have, then thy heart is clear 
for this union. 

Let the fathers look at our race of people 
and see if there is not needed a great cultiva- 
tion in order to bring it to what it ought to be. 



16 

In the first place they ought to be a united peo- 
ple, and then they should go on with a general 
education of our race. Looking particularly 
on the young race, we have a great deal to do. 
My dear reader, I think we have been asleep 
ever since we have corner into existence, and it 
is now high time that we should awake out of 
sleep before we are awakened by the thunders 
of Jehovah to give account of our stewardship 
in this world. This nation lost their standing 
as a people by disobedience, and shall we still 
live in disobedience and not endeavor to cul- 
tivate the mind of our people when we see 
how much it is needed. Let us redeem the 
time now by coming together and having our 
hearts warm with this union, that is so com- 
pletely calculated to do this people good. All 
of us know what division is, for we have been 
trying it for many years, and what has been 
gained by it? 1 answer, nothing but strife and 
confusion. Look at it, my friends, and see if 
God do not require better things of us. Look 
around again, and see this great nation coming 
up in the world. There are hundreds of thou- 
sands of colored children under sixteen years 
of age ! Will the fathers stand so far distant 
from each other that this young race of people's 
case cannot be reached ? Are we not recom- 
mended by our blessed Lord to be as lights in 
the world, or as a city set on a hill that cannot 
be hid. And we are recommended to let the 
light shine so that others may see our good 



17 

work and glorify our Father which is in heaven. 
Understand it well, that these words are not to 
be looked at by the reader and then thought no 
more of. Take notice ! — Charily begins at 
home, and these words were spoken by the 
blessed Savior, and should we not hearken to 
the voice of God ? if we will not hearken to 
man's words concernmg our own welfare, cer- 
tainly we should pay the strictest attention to 
the voice of our Creator that made heaven and 
earth, and formed man for his own glory. I 
ask the reader, if it would not be to the glory of 
God for us to endeavor to train up our children 
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? 
Then if you think so, let us feel it a duty en- 
joined upon every son and daughter of our 
race, to endeavor to become united, that we 
may throw our mites together, and have schools 
in every state and county where the free child- 
ren are in large numbers. How can this be 
done, unless we come tc^ether as a band of 
united brethren, and make agreement that we 
will no longer stand in opposition one against 
the other, but that our hearts and souls shall be 
united together. The principle that we have 
been living under is the old African principle, 
kingdom against kingdom, and nation against 
nation. Let every colored citizen wage war 
against that old African principle that was the 
means of throwing the first colored man on the 
American soil. Will you hold that principle 
any longer that has been your downfall ? Come, 
2* 



IS 

brethren, let u^ proclaim union in every breast* 
Let all become peace-makers. God hath said; 
"Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall 
be called the children of God. '^ Matthew v. 9. 
I ask, if there be any one among our people 
who would not say, " let me be a child of God.'' 
Then be a peace makerj^nd be united in love, 
and just as sure as the words are left on record 
you shall be called the child of God, "and if 
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint 
heirs with Christ." Romans viii. 17. There 
is nothing better than to be called a child of 
God by the blessed Saviour who knows the 
hearts of all men. Then let us seek peace 
with all men. If we attend to these things, 
the blessing of heaven will be upon this large 
mass of people that hath been so long under 
the Y/eather. Consider that the God of heaven 
is righteous, and never will 3^ou be a people 
until you do right. When we look back and 
view the- Tsraelites^when they left their land, 
there were only about ' three score and ten 
souls, and then see the great number that they 
grew to be. When they left Egypt, there 
were six hundred thousand men over twenty 
years of age. The Levites were not num- 
bered with the rest of the Israelites. Then 
look at the number under twenty years, and 
you must see that there was a great number. 
Then look at our number of children that are 
imder sixteen, and see if it does not give a 
thought that we ought to take .this young race 



19 

ill hand, and attend to them faithfully by bring- 
ing them up God fearing and God thinking 
children ? 

Here is one thing that I shall name to every 
father or mother, or any head of a family, we 
^heuld endeavor to raise our children with as 
much industry as w# possibly can. Work 
never hurts the child. See particularly that 
they are raised up nicely in their manners and 
their deportment. It takes a long time to get 
the training of a child out of him, and if it is 
good we do not want to get it out of him. In 
order that we might do more for our young 
children, I would recommend manual labor 
scJiools to be established in the different states, 
so as the children could have free access to 
them. And I would recommend in these 
schools pious teachers, either white or colored, 
who would take all pains with the children to 
bring them up in piety, and in industrious 
habits. We must endeavor to have our child- 
ren look up a little, for' they are too many to 
lie in idleness and dishonor. Just as sure as 
you see a lazy child, and his parent cannot 
break that child from his laziness, he is very 
apt to become a disgrace to his parents and to 
himself, and not fit for any society. So let us 
endeavor to keep laziness out of our children ; 
let them be raised up honorable men and. 
women. Honorable, did you say? Yqs, 
and perfectly honest. You never did see a 
rogue an honorable man. Let the child look 



20 

at these things hhnself. If he hath any heart 
to be an honorable man, he would not be a 
thief, stealing Uttle things and by and by begin 
on big things, just as he grows old enough to 
hide it, as he thinks. But when he thinks all 
is safe and hid, somebody sees him, and pre- 
sents him to be tried bj^the laws of the coun- 
try, he is found guilty and condemned to the 
state prison. Not only so, see the whole 
family disgraced by the conduct of one mem- 
ber of that family. So much, then, for stealing. 
Always avoid that one thing, and you can be 
as honorable a man in society as any other in- 
dustrious man. 

Let us attend to the things that are calcu- 
lated to elevate the colored citizens of America. 
Ev^ery man endeavor to be an honorable man, 
and then we can have an honorable society. 
We know that there are some of our people* 
so full of that old African principle that they 
have no desire that this people should become 
united that they may be more able to do some- 
thing for this young race that is coming along 
so rapidly. We will pull such along if we can, 
and when we can hold them no longer, we 
will let them go and renounce them, but have 
an eye to their children. 

I have said much about children, but I have 
not told all my thoughts about the dear little 
damsels, so near and dear to the mother. Touch 
one of them, and you touch her heart string 
at once. Then, dear mother, if you love your 



21 

daughter, show it in doing all you can do for 
those so near to your bosom. Teach her the 
right way to live in this world that she may be 
happy in the world to come. Teach them 
morality — teach them to be decent and modest 
in their deportment. Mothers too often let 
girls go their own way, and they go to their 
ruin. Let them know that there is one right 
way. Industry is right, then make them in- 
dustrious. Do not scold and fret at the child- 
ren, but counsel them, talk with them a great 
deal and endeavor to get them to do right. 
Give them " line upon line, and precept upon 
precept.'^ When you get through your good 
advice.and find the child still disobedient, then 
you must give him or her what all disobedient 
children ought to have in order to let them 
know that the voice of a mother must be re- 
garded by the child. Never allow the child to 
tell you a lie^ and if you promise him any thing 
keep your word Having gone through a nice 
conversation with him, mothers are too apt to 
get in a passion, and in that passion correct the 
child too severely. Some go' so far as to strike 
them over the head, or knock them to the 
ground because they are mad. These things 
ought not so to be. Hold your temper and 
spare the child till you get right for correction. 
Recollect that God hath given you that child 
for his glory and your comfort, and again I tell ^ 
you that you are accountable to God for the 
^raising of the child. 



22 

These things ought to lay near the heart of 
this people, and see if our senses will not come 
to us more than heretofore, concerning duties 
that we owe to God, before we can be any 
thing that we ought to be. Look over the 
fields that are white and ready for harvest. 
Come, friends, have union one with the other. 
this union ! let us try it. Believe God, and 
see if he will not open the windows of heaven 
and pour us out such a wonderful blessing 
that there shall not be room enough to contain 
it. Now let the little book hunt out the united 
brethren. Free colored citizens of America, 
here is my hand and here is my heart. We 
will travel to ImmanuePs land where sickness, 
sorrow, pain or death, are feared and felt no 
more. Then let us come together and strike 
hands on this union, — and not merely talk 
'about this impo' .it union that we have so 
long wanted and can't do without. 

The time will be appointed that we shall 
have our first meeting. Come on, my friends, 
from the east and from the west, and from the 
north and from the south, to the appointed 
place where union shall fill every breast and be 
the cry of every heart. There are some of our 
people that have got so near white that they 
do not seem to care for their people. Recant 
this principle, and stamp it under your feet, for 
there is no good in this order of things. The 
blood is there and you can't get it away, and|i 
you will understand, pure gold is considered " 



23 

better than a mixture, froQi this draw your 
ideas, and come along wherever the blood is 
found and join this united band of colored, 
citizens of America. United we stand, divided 
we fall. Strife and division have been the 
downfall of Africa, and it ever has, and ever 
will be the downfall of any people. Go on in 
division, and see whether you can ever be ex- 
alted as a nation. By this you see the evil 
that is attached to it. Disunion is the worst 
thing that ever happened to any nation of peo- 
ple. Look at our present state, and of things 
in general ; for instance, you will look at the 
hurches, if you please ; whilst they are in 
anion all things goes well, but as sure as dis- 
union takes place, it seems as if Satan was let 
oose among the people, — no peace nor satis- 
action, and I have thought that the devil was 
et loose among our people to see them so far 
rom being a united people, not having an eye 
o that which will make their peace in this 
ivorld and in the world to come. Come, friends, 
peak for union one to .the other, or will you 
leep away the time till Jehovah's thunders 
all you to make peace with all mankind 
iving under heaven, for the day is coming that 
loliness shall be written on the *^ bells of 
he horses," — " In that day shall there be 
ipon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto 
HE Lord." Zechariah xiv. 20. " And they 
ihall teach no more every man his neigh- 
bor, and every man his brother, saymg, know 



24 

the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the 
least of them unto the greatest of them, saith 
the Lord/' Jeremiah xxxi. 34. 

Have you any objection to union when you 
see it has to exist in heaven, when worlds shall 
exist no more ? How long shall it be that thi? 
people, who have been great in their time, shall 
stand so much in their own light? Shall we 
still endeavor to throw the blame on others, 
while we will not get right nor do right our- 
selves ? Brethren, v/e will have to take new 
steps if we ever expect to please God, for 
*^' he that soweth bountifully shall also reap 
bountifully, and he that soweth sparingly, 
shall also reap sparingly." Look at the colored 
citizens of America ; I must think that they have 
sowed more sparingly than any other nation 
that I can think of at this time, so they are 
re?vping sparingly, 'just according to the word 
of God. Look at the nations of the earth, and 
compare this people with them, and see if they 
are not sowing sparingly and reaping sparingly. 
See the houses and farms all in good order. Dc 
they belong to colored citizens ? No ! and ^■, 
what is the reason that great houses and farms m 
do not belong to some of the colored citizens I' 
of America? In the first place, the most off 
them settle hi towns, ajid there they work' 
every way but the right way. " Let us take in % 
consideration some of these Wctys. In the first; | 
place, they let too much of the morning pass | 
away before they get their eyes open. You ,| 



I 



25 

know that there is no better time to begin a 
piece of work than in the morning. Well, I 
have been looking at different towns in 
America. Who owns all the fine houses ? do 
the colored citizens ? No, with few exceptions, 
you are too idle or too wasteful. With industry 
you may have as good a farm as your neigh- 
bor's. You may raise as good corn and oats, 
wheat and barley and rye as any man. The 
God of heaven sends the rains to water the 
earth, and my crop is watered with my neigh- 
bor. Then, I ask, why are you so far behind ? 
You are to be a nation in time to come, let us 
be an industrious people. 

I recommend the colored citizens of America 
to turn their attention more to farming than 
they ever have done. You can have your 
orchard in a few years, peaches, apples, plums, 
and all kind of fruit that grows. Not only so, 
but you can have your cattle, — see the old lady 
milk the cows in the morning, making ready 
for breakfast, while the father is looking over 
the field, and feeding his stock, and the little 
children as fat as butter. Did you see the large 
stock of turkies and the large stock of geese ? 
mother raised them all in one year, we shall 
pluck them and make our beds, and then we 
shall have feathers to sell that will help father 
a good deal in his old age. We shall also 
shear our sheep, and that will be some help. 
Let us sell some cattle and horses, and buy 
another farm for James or Nancy, as they are 
3 



• 26 

coming up in years and will soon be of age. 
Take notice, this is all come up from the earth. 
A good, industrious farmer will soon have all 
these things and more than I can describe. 
Then if a farmer's life is so good, it is a won- 
der that more of those that live in towns do 
not make their homes in the country. Surely 
the world is large enough for every body, and 
if you cannot get good land at one place you 
can at another. He that has good land has 
encouragement. I would not recommend this 
people to settle on poor ground, like many of 
the free people in old Virginia and North 
Carolina, who settled on poor hills that will 
hardly bring blackberries. There is the state 
of Illinois, it is a fine country and a free state. 
And there is the state of Michigan, the finest 
country likely in America, and many others 
that I could mention, such as Iowa and Wis- 
consin. But go and see, and please 3'-ourselves, 
for I am sure that if you are pleased living on 
land and raising only five or ten bushels of 
corn to the acre, you would be better pleased 
by taking your wife and children to a country 
where you could by the same industry, raise 
from forty to fifty, or even sixty to eighty 
bushels of corn to the acre. Then stop dream- 
ing over poor land. Besides all this, farming 
is the most independent life that a man can 
live, most especially for the colored citizens of 
America, who cannot hold any office according 
to the laws of the different states. But you 



27 

can hold a farm, more especially if you pay for 
it, and I am led to believe that it is the greatest 
office in the United States of America. So 
I should like to see a number of our people 
try it and see if it is not a good office. If you 
are poor, endeavor to earn fifty dollars, and 
with that fifty dollars you can buy forty acres 
of land in the new states that I have men- 
tioned. 

I have found great fault of our people for 
the way they put up things about them in 
building. It seems that if they ca'n just get 
the cabin to keep the rain out, they don't care 
how the balance looks.. Do have it neat, having 
a little pride about putting up the cabin, though 
small. And keep all things nicely that are 
around, and the blessing of heaven will attend 
you. 

It may be that some of the people may have 
a desire to know the views that I have concern- 
ing this race of people. In the first place, I 
shall take notice of them in their scattered con- 
dition. They are scattered in almost every 
part of the v/orld — few have houses or lands 
that are now in the United States and places 
around; take them in general, they have no 
home, though born in America. No home ! 
! is not this race of people to be pitied by all 
the Christian world 1 They are in a wander- 
ing condition. It puts me in mind of the wan- 
dering Israelites, that wandered a lifetime, and 
had no home. ! where is the heart that can- 



28 

not pity this race 1 Look at the young race,Jio\v 
fast tlffey are rising up ; shall they be in the 
same condition, without Jiomes, wandering 
about from place to place, learning all kinds of 
vice 1 Oh I fathers, has not the God of heaven 
and earth given you strength and health? 
Have you not the use of your limbs, the same 
as other men 1 Then, I ask, what is the matter, 
that you cannot settle yourselves on farms, 
buy them, and make homes for your young 
children that are coming up? I am confident 
that you X3an do better than you are doing ; 
some have no home, and yet have been free 
their lifetime ; or it may be, only twenty years, 
and this day got no home ! 

How shall this evil be remedied? There is 
only one cure for it, and that I will mention, 
hoping the reader will comply with the terms; 
I am fully convinced, from long experience, of 
this cure. You tell me that you have been 
healthy and stout, but you have used all your 
best days, and have no home ; look, and see 
what is the matter. What is the reason of this 
sad state of things with this race of people 1 
Some are as hard-working men as ever need 
be. Can you tell me the reason why you have 
no home with all your industry } I have looked 
at the foreigners who have emigrated to this 
country, looking as though they have not had 
one dollar in all their lives; and in a few years 
they have good homes. They seem to be as 
poor as any body need to be ; some, I see pick- 



29 

ing up coffee and corn and wheat and all the 
little sticks of wood that they can find, and 
carrying them to the place where they hve. 
But stop, in a little time and they have a home; 
and yet yon who were born in America, have 
DO home ! Come, friends, it is high time that 
we should be going to look at these things, 
and not let every old horse that puts his foot 
in the path, outrun us. I tell you that there is 
but one cure for this, and you can be cured if 
you will comply with instruction. But this 
disease has been standing a long time, and you 
know that is the hardest disease to cure. It 
will take great exertion to break up the disease 
and cure the patient. He often has this com- 
plaint in his feet and in his knees and in his 
hands, and he can hardly keep his eyes open 
long enough to tell where his complaint is. 
No wonder that you are left so far behind ; 
you neither comply, nor tell the complaint ; I 
told you that I felt a little fearful of the old 
complaints. However, I shall describe one 
thing, and if that will not do, I do not know 
what will do. Will you tell me how you feel 
just at this time, and all your family around 
you, depending on you to bring something in 
the house for them 1 Take notice, you are not 
getting much by sitting looking into that little 
fire you have. I have gone all around the 
complaint, and if you will help me a little, I 
shall be able to get to the root of this matter 5 

3* 



30 

but you must tell me how you felt while I have 
been going around to get to the matter fully, 
and make a final cure. I think you can begin 
to see the complaint, and will endeavor to get 
rid of it as soon as possible ; and you can have 
all things that this earth affords. Rise early, 
get to business as soon as you can ; work late, 
and be kind and affectionate to your family ; 
do not stand in the streets till it is time for 
dinner, and then go home and have nothing to 
eat. 

We are lacking on our parts, of the duty that 
we owe to the Almighty ; we can do more than 
we are doing ; for instance, after schooling our 
children, we can bind them to different trades, 
so that we may possess among our people all 
the arts and sciences that man is in possession 
of. Some of you think you cannot spare your 
children to go and learn a trade, but you are 
mistaken ; you may have them longer than if 
they had no trade ; for many times your children 
go to hard servitude on boats or ships, and you 
never see that son or daughter again. If you 
had done your duty in giving him a trade, he 
might set up business in the same city where 
you live, or travel off to find a better place ; 
and when he has worked long enough to know 
that it is a better place than where he learned 
his trade, he goes back and tells them what a 
fine place he has found, or writes to them to 
come on where he is. You can either go, or 



31 

let it alone, but you can see that the child is 
not exposed to all kinds of danger, as if he had 
no trade. 

Again, it makes better men of them, for boat- 
men are very apt to be rude. I do not like 
children to be boatmen ; I had rather they 
should learn every trade under heaven, if some 
of them have to go on the river or sea to do it. 
Why should our children stay so far behind 
others, and you saying you cannot spare them ; 
you are keeping him back; in this way, our 
nation is kept back. Now let your children 
learn a trade, or learn to be farmers, and in ten 
years you would see a great improvement 
among this people. Come, friends, let us try 
it, and then you will see your sons and your 
daughters come right up from the condition they 
are in. Let us try it, and never cease till it is 
accomplished. All heaven is willing for this 
matter. Who is it that cannot be an honorable 
man ; that is, if he conducts himself in an hon- 
orable wayl Then seek these things, and they 
shall come to pass in their season ; and if you 
never seek, you shall never find. Then let 
every father and every mother and every child 
seek this principle of honor. 

Here we make a severe struggle to bring 
our race into this honorable society of people ; 
and after we have used ail the lawfnl means 
that is in our power, then we are to give them 
up and renounce them, and if he is a thief, let 
every man, woman and child mark him, and 



32 

he will not go far, before he is overtaken and 
put in such close confinement, that he will not 
disgrace his people. Friends, flesh and blood 
is nigh, but we must cut ourselves off from 
every thing that is odious in the sight of God 
and man, in order for this scattered race to re- 
deem themselves from under that heavy frown 
that looked on Africa, when siie transgressed 
against God, and fell from the state she was 
then in. And great was the fall ! yes, so great 
that man can feel it to this day ; and them that 
look upon her condition, mourn her sad con- 
dition. We sprang from that nation, and shall 
we still disobey, and never come from that 
fallen state ? Brethren, let us come together 
and search out the cursed thing that keeps us 
so far'back in this world. 

Let us try ourselves by the standard of truth, 
and still call on the God of heaven and earth 
to help us in our sad condition. 0, that a 
strong union may exist in every breast, in order 
that we may have this union complete, as God 
requires it to be. 

We call on the people in the name of our 
God, to give themselves io fasting and prayer ■ 
on Easter Monday ; let it be a solemn day that 
we set apart from all other days, all through 
our lives, and then as loi^g as time shall be, or 
till the sun shall be blown out, to rise no more. 
Then our day of fasting and prayer comes to 
an end, and we will be gathered home ; they 
that have done good, to the resurrection of life; 



33 

and they that have drne evil, to the resurrection 
of damnation ; all vdil be brought forth, thenj 
in their own order. Let this day of fasting 
and prayer be remembered by all on earth, and 
nations unborn mav rise up and hold this day 
that is set apart by heir fathers in 1847. 

The day chosen i^ Easter Monday, in the year 
1847; that all churches, of every name and 
every order vndev heaven, are called upon to 
give that day to the Lord our God, in fasting 
and prayer, for the union of this people, that 
they shall no longer live at a distance from 
their God, and from each other. 0, that every 
soul that has set his foot oil God Almighty's 
footstool, may claim that day to be a day of 
days to his soul! Saint and sinner are called 
upon this day, so long as the Lord your God 
gives you breath to breathe, and the time rolls 
around, and you find yourself in existence. 
Who knows, what God may do for you, when 
miUions are engaged the same day and time, 
caUing on God for a union. He may unite 
your soul to Christ by a living faith. Do not 
neglect it — now is your time — God says, try 
me and prove me, and see if I do not pour you 
out such a blessing, that there shall not be room 
enough to receive it. Brethren, prayer and 
fasting have removed mountains. When we 
look at God, we must look at him just as he is, 
a God of all power and all goodness, love and 
mercy ; and this is all for man. If they will 
ask for it they shall have it, and more, in this 



34 

life, and in the world to come, life everlasting; 
then let us beheve in him and ask for the things 
we need. 

When Mordecai perceived all that was done, 
he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with 
ashes, and went into the midst of the city, and 
cried with a loud and a bitter cry, for he knew 
that they were in a dreadful condition, from 
the decree that had gone out from the king, 
that every Jew should be destroyed. This 
went through all the provinces wheresoever the 
king had command. Surely, this rested heavy 
on the minds of the Jews— they proclaimed a 
day of fasting and prayer. It seems that every 
Jew was in the same condition, that lived in 
the king's provinces. Well, they cried with 
Mordecai, and united their cries to the Lord, 
the God of heaven and earth; and this cry came 
to the queen, and she was a Jewess; and \vheii| 
Mordecai brought it to her understanding, thatl 
tho.ugh she was Queen Esther, she Avas a Je^v- 
ess, and had to die with her people, then she 
increased the fastingand praying threefold; for 
she and her maidens fasted and prayed three 
days and three nights. Although it was death 
to enter the king's inner court, yet she arose and 
said, if I perish, I perish ; and she dressed herself 
in royal apparel, and went into the inner court, 
and the king held out the sceptre to her. Thus 
was she made instrumental in the hands of 
God, of turning the king's fury, and granting 
liberty to the Jews. 0, can we not trust God 



for 



35 

for all things, and go to work like men that be- 
long to the Lord Our God? You see this great 
deliverance that the Lord our God hath wrought 
for the Jews. He is no respecter of persons, of 
those that put their trust in him. Let us take 
God at his word; watch and pray, that ye enter 
not into temptation. You will recollect that 
Jonah was not delivered from the whale's belly, 
until he had prayed and entered into covenant 
with God, and agreed to do that thing which 
the Lord had commanded him to do; then the 
God of the sea and land commanded the fish 
:o take him to shore. It seems that there must 
be an unwillingness in man, to d'o what God 
intends he shall do; and if he still hardens his 
heart, he has great reason to fear the judg- 
ments of the Almighty; and it seems to me, 
that the judgments of God are upon this nation, 
and it becomes us to begin to ask of God what 
he will have us to do. Let all ask, and not 
Dnly ask, but let us mend our ways while we 
are asking of our heavenly Father. I find, 
while Jonah prayed, his heart became more 
humble; he says he was in pain. When God 
Almighty threatened Nineveh with an over- 
throw for their transgressions, did they stand 
idle after they got the word from the man of 
God ? No ! but they come down immediately, 
even in dust and ashes before God ; fasted, 
prayed, and God's wrath was appeased. Ask, 
and it shall be given. 
The day that was set that we should hol^ 



36 

apart unto the Lord, is come; it has found me 
on God Almighty's footstool, with the breath i 
of life in me. Shall I be one that shall, in the 
hand of God, be a helper to consecrate this day 
to the Lord our God, by giving myself to the 
Lord in fasting and prayer, with all this great 
body of people that shall this day unite their 
cries around the throne of God, our Saviour, 
praying that the God of heaven and earth may 
grant us united prayerful hearts, all the days of 
our lives. that my heart and soul may be 
warm with this united prayer, that never was 
called on before, particularly for this people, in 
their situation. Lord, help us now to call 
on thee, our God, to assist each one upon thy 
footstool, on land or on rivers, on the ocean 
or wherever the day may find them ; may they 
not be of a stubborn heart on that day, and 
cause God Almighty's anger to wax hot 
against them, because they have no desire to 
forsake their idols, and call on the name of the 
Lord our God. 

One day, when Cornelius fasted and prayed, 
God heard and answered, and said he was " no 
respecter of persons, but in every nation, he 
that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is 
accepted with him." Acts x. 34. Fasting and 
prayer is a righteous act before God. 

What shall a man give in exchange for his 
soul ? The soul of man, according to the word 
of God, is always sensible of what state it is 
in, whether in hell or heaven, or on earth. 



37 

Had I a million of worlds, would I not give 
them all to know, in my last hours in this 
world, that I had made my peace with my 
creator, God? Time is leaving you; consider, 
you have only one life and one soul, and you 
may throw it into hell or heaven by your con- 
duct in this life. The soul is sensible after 
death. "Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of 
hosts, and I will turn to you.'^ The Lord calls 
man to turn his course, and he will meet him 
by turning to him. 

Malachi, chap. x. 2, says, "' If ye will not 
hear and if ye will not lay it to heart to give 
glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, 
I will even send a curse upon you, and will 
curse your blessings ; yea, I have cursed them 
already, because ye do not lay it to heart." 0, 
will this people stand idle, without thought ? 
shall they let time move them into eternity, to 
face the very God that made them, and bade 
them call, and they have refused the call? 
Look what you are doing by refusing the call 
of God Almighty ; you are sealing your own 
damnation, and making sure your own de- 
struction. Do you say, I have no time to re- 
pent ? I tell you, before God and all the angels 
that surround the throne, you may be in hell 
before to-morrow morning ! Then be sure 
that you do not ne2||[ect your soul till it is too 
late. One generation is passing away, and an- 
other is rising up ; at last, all will pass away 
4 



ss 

at one ..time. Now, among the eight hundred 
millions that inhabit this globe, thirty and 'three 
years, or thereabouts takes them into eternity, 
and others rise up and take their place, and in 
the same tmie this generation passes away to 
their long home. I want you to understand^ 
that it takes about the time mentioned, for one 
generation to pass away. If a generation' 
passes away in thirty-three years, how many 
generations must have passed already into 
another world ! 

And these unnumbered millions, at the sound 
of the trump of God, have to come to the 
judgment seat of Christ, and every one to an- 
swer for the deeds done in the body, good or 
bad. '0, heaven enable us to have good deeds, 
that we may answer with joy and not with 
grief. Millions of those born again, will see 
their father's face, in that blessed world of rest 
that is prepared for them. come, and let 
us try this new birth that Christ taught to Ni- 
codemus; "you must be born again, or you 
cannot see the kingdom of God." come, and 
let us seal our everlasting peace by obeying 
the voice of God, whilst we have ears to hear, 
or a heart to understand ! praise the Lord 
for his goodness, that he ever stooped so low 
as to give his only begotten Son to make atone- 
ment foT us, that whosoever believed in him, 
though he was dead, he should be made alive ! 
Every sinner has a dead soul in him, and that 
dead soul must be made alive, or burn in hell 



39 

to all eternity. Attend to it ! Death will soon 
move that dead soul to its place. Death has to 
kill the body, that the soul may no longer have 
a hiding place in this house of clay. Death has 
shattered the soul's cabin, in which the soul 
dwelleth, and it is compelled to leave. It is 
naked because it hath not sought any covering 
of the Maker of heaven and earth. For this 
reason it is a naked and dead soul, out of its 
shelter. Death came across its cabin, and tore 
it down ; and the soul cannot build it again, 
for death did not come till he got permission 
from his master ; he generally fights the body, 
and he gets it worried down lower and lower, 
until the soul must leave, because of death. 
Where must it go ? It is naked ! it is not co- 
vered with the righteousness of Christ ! Then, 
according to the Book of God, it must be ex- ^ 
posed to every evil spirit, and be seized hj^^, 
them, and brought down to that world of wo 
and misery, where the fallen angels are con- 
fined in chains of darkness, until the Day of 
the Judgment of the great God Almighty ! 
Then they will hear their final doom. 

0, do not let the judgment find the soul un- 
prepared ! Feet, where are you carrying the 
soul to? are you not walking in forbidden 
paths? Death may be in some of these paths. 
Hands, how often have you warred against the 
soul, doing the very thing that God hath for- 
bidden ? Mouth, have you not helped to damn 
the soul, by cursing and swearing and lying ? 



40 

All these things lead down to the pit of damna- 
tion. Eyes, what are you about, that you 
cannot watch for the soul, and not suffer these 
feet and hands and mouth to do so much mis- 
chief to the soul ? because, if you do not watch 
these many members, they will damn the soul 
to all eternity. It seems that the tongue is an 
unruly member ; James says, " it cannot be 
tamed; it is unruly, and full of deadly poison ; 
set on fire of hell.'^ Cannot the eye watch 
the other members, and keep them from damn- 
ing the soul, by running headlong into forbidden 
paths? I condemn all the members, eye, hand 
and foot; they are all agreed together, to go on 
"and war against the soul. Then the mind 
must be changed. ' God keep thy tongue from 
evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 

It is out of the abundance of the heart that 
the mouth speaketh, and with the heart men 
believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth 
confession is rhade unto salvation. ^ These 
things do not war against the soul ; you have 
fruit unto holiness, and the end is everlasting 
life. How much better, then, it is to endeavor 
to save the soul ! Let the same mind be in you 
that was in Christ Jesus, and endeavor to be 
led by the Spirit of Christ ; for if any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of 
his. The Holy Spirit does a great deal; he 
frees the soul, calms the burning flames and 
brings the dead soul to life. He provides a 
heavenly garment, so that when -death conies^ 



41 

it may kill the body, but it cannot kill the soul, 
because of the' blood of Christ. So much, then, 
for having the mind of Christ. Let all seek to 
have the mind changed, that we may be led 
by the Spirit of Christ. In order to be led by 
the Spirit of Christ, we must be born again ; 
born of that spirit that can lead us from earth 
to that blessed world of rest, that remains for 
the people of God. 

Come, friends, don't read, and do no more> 
You must make the inquiry, how stands the 
case between God Almighty and your soul ; 
and endeavor to receive the Spirit of Christ, 
that you may be a lively stone in the building, 
meet for the master^s use,, cleansed by his blood ! 
A lively stone in the building ? We must live 
godly and soberly in Christ Jesus the Lord, 
which is your salvation. 

Now, I leave this part in your minds, till I 
look over the world of mankind, and see how 
many there are that will take heed to their way, 
and come up unitedly to serve the Lord with 
one accord, and be the people God wants them 
to be. For he says, *' Ethiopia shall soon 
stretch out her hands unto God.^^ Look, 
now, and see if you are making any exertion 
in this matter. God has said it, and you must 
do it, and do it unitedly ; for he judges Israel, 
and kill them that would not obey. 0, Ethi- 
opia, have you obeyed the voice of God Al- 
mighty, that spoke by the voice of thunder, to 
the Israelites on the Mount Sinai? They saw 
4* 



42 

the cloud, and heard the thunder so loud, that 
they feared to stand near, but told Moses to go 
and speak to God ; and all that God told him 
they should do, did they do it? No, but still 
rebelled against the man of God, and refused 
to take the counsel that God gave to Moses for 
them. For this, the Lord's anger was kindled 
against Israel, and he made them wander in 
the wilderness forty years, until the generation 
that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was 
consumed. -Then be not: an evil doer, lest thou 
share the same fate. Many things that we do 
can be let alone; do you believe it? then let 
alone evil practices; the mind must be changed 
before you can be saved. " The Spirit and the 
bride say. Come. And let him that heareth 
say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. 
And whosoever will, let him take of the water 
of life freely.'' — Rev. xxii. 17. 

I have heard some people say that at God's 
own appointed time he would bring all these 
things to pass that we have been speaking 
about. Friends, let me tell you the truth, and 
you believe it, God's time is when you get right 
and do right. God ever has worked in this 
way with the nations of the earth, so you need 
not to think of living in your laziness, never 
asking God to help and bless you and your 
family, but still say that God will do all at his 
appointed time. That appointed time is now, 
this day. God told Noah to build the ark, and 
he went to work and built it. The same God 



I 



43 

has told you to repent of your sins. Have you 
done so ? The same God told Israel what they 
had to do before they left Egypt. Were they 
obedient to God's word or not ? God does not 
bless men in disobedience. In order that we 
may receive strength from the Lord our God, 
we must be obedient to him as the Governor 
of the universe. Whatever he bids us do 
hasten so to do, as obedient children, and 
not set on the stool of do nothing saying, 
that God in his own appointed time will bring 
all things to pass as though he did not require 
any thing of you at all. My friend, if you 
look at it just as it is, God has laid .the foun- 
dation and you are the builders. Now tell 
me what are you waiting for ? God has r^r.-^Q 
his work in laying the foundation and telU you 
to build on the foundation: "for other foun- 
dation can no man lay than that is laid, which 
is Jesus Christ.'' 1 Cor. iii. 11. God requires 
to use all the means in our power to bring 
peace and union, that God's name may be 
glorified here on the earth. How are men to 
build on the foundation that God has laid ? 
They should " seek, first the kingdom of God, 
and his righteousness ; and all these things 
shall be added unto you." Matthew vi. 33. 
Then God looks for your work. You are not 
your own, you are bought with a price, and of 
course have to work for him that bought you 
vvith his own precious blood. He redeemed 
us for himself. Then let us begin a heavenly 



44 

\vork, having an eye particularly on this young 
race, and give them to the Lord our God, in 
prayer, even as Hannah gave Samuel to the 
Lord. She said, " I have lent him to the Lord ; 
as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the 
Lord.^^ 1 Samuel i. 28. then, if we have 
that desire to see a generation rising from the 
dust, clothed with the righteousness of the 
Lord our God, let us do as Hannah did, give 
them to God Almighty. Pray for them, and 
pray with them ; send them to Sunday school, 
and train them up to God in their young days. 
Then all will unite in the same thing, and then 
3^ou will see the nation that God Almighty will 
delight to own and bless. 

JNIany of the colored people are free, and 
have neither master nor owner. Then surely 
you can train up your children in the way they 
should go, and when they grow old they will 
not depart from it. If you fail to do what is 
in your power to do with these children how 
can you look for a blessing. In time past, your 
fathers were deprived of this blessing, and of 
course they could not be charged with not rais- 
ing their children in the right manner; that is, 
if they did all they could according to their 
situation. But as you are free, (thanks be to God 
for it,) the guilt comes on your own head. In- 
dustry and education should be your concern 
about this young race. Look over the whole 
world, and see the nations all endeavoring to 
advance to a higher state of life. Industry and 



45 

good education is the principal way of ad- 
vancing in life. Look at the Friends or Quakers. 
They go on with steady habits. All things are 
clea?n and nice around them. They raise their 
children to be industrious and give them a good 
education. Can we not take pattern by them? 
Move on in the circle of life patiently, making 
but little noise. Always keep at work but never 
seem to be in a hurry. Don't work a great 
deal one o^r two days and then loiter three or 
four days. My friend, you must have another 
spirit in you, or the little spirit that is in 3^ou 
must be kindled up. You have lived here long 
enough to have had a good house and home, 
then had buildings to rent out. Instead of that, 
you are getting old, and have not a house to 
put your head in. I think if you would live 
a little more plain and save some of your 
money, you might in time be able to buy your- 
self a good farm. There are very few of our 
people that have their own house to live in. 
They generally live in rented houses or on 
rented farms. Is there no help for this ? I 
should work night and day, and never stop till 
I got a piece of land to build a house on. In- 
dustry and care will do it. Don't get out of 
heart, and go and get drunk before you buy 
your land. I hope that you will consider that 
just as long as you are living in rented houses 
you are making yourself a slave for somebody 
else, and you say you do not like slavery. You 
say that you are free and have been so for 



46 

many yearns, and have paid money enough to 
have bought a good house and lot. Friends, 
these things ought not so to be. They can be 
altered. I'tell you perseverance will alter them. 
Try it, and I do not think you will ever re- 
gret it. Then why set ye here and look at one 
another ? Why not get enough to last as long 
as you and all your family live. Don't sit 
there any longer. Rise and go to work like 
men, and buy property and live like men and 
women in this world. If you have not got 
religion, Godsends rain on the just and the un- 
just. But while you are receiving all these good 
things, remejnber, man, that thou hast an 
immortal soul that has to be saved or lost to 
all eternity. Then let us wake up, not only in 
regard to earthly concerns, but also in regard 
to eternity, which is just before us. While we 
are gathering earthly things take notice that 
there are heavenly things that can be gathered 
that will last in that blessed world where God 
has a house not made with hands, eternal in 
the heavens. Come, come, you that read this 
little book, — think, that your eyes look upon 
it now, but in a Uttle time the eyes that see it 
will be closed in death, and where will the 
soul be ? We have taught you the way of life 
in this little book, and if you take the word of 
life your soul will be forever blessed of the 
Lord our God. We have taught you the word 
that was good for soul and body, and after all, 
if you refuse it, let me tell you, you refuse 



47 

the salvation of your own soul. I have laid 
before you many temporal enjoyments that are 
calculated to make a man see many good days 
in this world, but to prepare for death is better 
than all things besides, because this life is not 
long, but the life to coiiie has no end. Come 
then and learn to fear the Lord, that your days 
may be long. But spend your time in laboring 
and attend to your own business and be saving 
of all that the Lord enables you to get. Use 
much industry, and you will see in a little time 
if you will not have as good a home as any 
man. 

I call industry, King Cure-all, and I call idle- 
ness, Mr. Pull-down-all. Notice, every indus- 
trious man must be happy, if he have a good 
industrious, saving wife ; that man surely will 
have him a home ; then he will have no need 
of working for every body but himself. In a 
few years, with care, he will have a farm or 
a ship or a boat; bat thefarm before all. A 
good industrious farmer, surely has the greatest 
enjoyment of any situation in life. It is a de- 
sirable situation for any good man. A bad 
man does not care for the things that will make 
him happy, and all around him. A good in- 
dustrious man will be respected by all that 
know him ; he has no stingy principle, but al- 
ways ready to bear a hand to any good thing ; 
nice in his. family, nice in dealing and in all his 
[depcrt^ient. 

I w ill give you a description of King Cure- 

I r 



4S 

all and Mr. Pull-down-all. King Cure-all is 
much of a gentleman ; his word is good fur all 
that he tells you ; you need not fear him, for I 
have 'known him for about fifty years, and I 
never knew him to fail in anything. He is a 
great man. You can try him ; he will soon 
give you land, or -a 'good home. He is very 
rich, and never fails to give to every one that 
goes to him ; he will not only give you land, 
but he will also give you horses and cattle, and 
sheep and hogs, and geese and turkeys, and 
more than I can mention at this time ; he has 
plenty for every one that goes to him; he keeps 
all things nice around him ; you can go into his 
house any day, and you will see all- the things 
setting in their right places. Go into his field, 
you will see his nice farm and good fences, and 
good barn, for that is half the battle with King 
Cure-all. This barn enables him to keep the 
things that he raises on his farm, and to pick up 
the crumbs, that nothing be lost. King Cure- 
all is a mighty man ; he has plenty of money 
to give to everyone that comes ; he has a good 
many friends, and they are generally wealthy. 
Sir, if you do not belong to that class, and have 
not been to see the gentleman, I would recom- 
mend you to come immediately. His acquaint- 
ance is large; his friends sometimes have to 
share the fate of all the earth, by that monster 
called death, which takes both youog. and old. 
They generally make a will, and will the line 
things received from -King Cure-all, to liis 



49 

'friends ; and it may be, if you go and get well 
acquainted with him, some of his friends may 
will you a large amount some of these days. 
So; I should sweep my house right clean, set 
down and talk with my wife and children 
about the matter, and make the agreement to 
take wife and children along, to see King Cure- 
all. Friend, you have now started with your 
whole family, to see the gentleman ; I hope 
that you will excuse me, if I give you a "little 
advice, while you and your family are on the 
way. You have made a lively start — you have 
swept your house clean and nice — you are on 
the way ; go on, and take care that you do not 
get drunk before you get to your journey's end. 
If you follow that practice, you can never see 
King Cure-qjl ; a drunken man does not get 
much of his fortune. If he should happen to 
get hold of some, he generally takes it away 
again. Only think, how awful it looks, to see 
a man start to see a gentleman, from whom he 
expects to receive support for all his family, 
and just before he arrives in sight of King Cure- 
all, he gets drunk and turns back ! O, how 
awful is drunkeness ! It has made many lose 
their health and all their property. No man 
need ever expect to arrive at any honorable 
station in life, that uses any intox:icati'ng drink. 
His children's bread is gone ! — he has left his 
wife to mourn ! — his strength decays ! — 0, how 
dreadful it appears ! Mothers, don't you feel 
the sting of this one thing? Is there no way 
5 



50 

that these things maybe moved from the nation. 
May God help each man and woman and child 
to decide this matter this day, that they will be 
no longer one of the subjects of Alcohol. 

Now, I will give you a description of Mr. 
Pull-down-all, with his laziness. I called him 
a gentleman ; I hope that you will excuse me, 
for I perceive that I called him altogether out 
of his name, for he seems always to be shuf- 
fling about in the way. I cannot tell anything 
good about him, for he runs about from house 
to house ; he has nothing, and gets nothing, un- 
less he steals it; for his laziness pesters him 
so, that he can hardly live ; and I am surprised 
that he has existed so long. King Cure-all's 
friends have given him a large amount, but he 
soon wastes all; there is neither care nor 
decency in him ; it is a "wonder that dirt has 
not killed him long ago. Did you ever go 
into his house ? If you have not, I have, and 
I never saw anything clean about his house. 
Well, I think laziness is the worst thing in the 
world, and Mr. Pull-down-all has plenty of that. 
His looks show it ; look how dirty and ragged 
he keeps himself and family. Do you not think, 
if he was a working man, that he could keep 
himself and family a little nicer ? The wife, I 
think, might keep herself a little better; I 
think, likely, laziness has got hold of her also. 
No wonder, then, that the house is dirty, and 
the children are ragged. I can't tell any more 
about Mr. Pull-down-all, but do keep out of his 



51 

company, or else he will pull you down. Come, 
friends, we must wake up, for it is high time 
that the things which have so long kept us 
back, should be thrown aside, and we go on for 
better things. 

^^ Better things!^' says Mr. Pull-down. I 
thought that I would not have anything more 
to say about Mr. Pull-down, but seeing you 
have asked the question, and seem as if you 
were surprised that we have a desire to go on 
for better things, I shall give a little further de- 
tail of your character. It seems to me, that 
you are perfectly satisfied in the situation that 
you have kept your family in all the days of 
your life, and you are not willing to make any 
improvement. You have been so long a pul- 
ling down, that you think that is the best way 
for you. Do you see what a bad character you 
have.^ Besides, this does not stop with you; 
for here are the children, whose characters you 
are pulling down by your conduct ; you will not 
work yourself, nor teach your children to work, 
and use all industry, that they might be a bles- 
sing to their people. All that you care for in 
this life, is to live from hand to mouth, and 
learning your children the same way. I have 
been looking at this state of things many years, 
and have thought, if you would only let the 
bottle go, and take that m.oney that has kept 
you and all your family back, that it would be 
a great gain to you and all around you. If 
you will live in your dirt and laziness, all that 



52 

we can do, is to make the division that was 
spoken of before in this Uttle book. How are 
we ever to raise np an honorable set of colored 
citizens in America, if we do not take our 
children in hand, and show them the way. 

We are desirous to have all the children in 
school, but you say, No. If we cannot carry 
the Avhole race along, we will carry just as 
many as we can get to join the army of King 
Cure-all. He has been already described. 

In thinking what is best for this people, I 
have been thinking that it would be best to 
obey the word of God. God has taken great 
pains to show man his will, concerning one 
day of the seven, called the Sabbath, or the 
Lord's day. This is the day that God has 
blessed, and taken to himself, and told us to 
keep it holy. You will have to answer at the 
bar of God, how you have spent your sab- 
baths. God has commanded you to keep them 
holy. Have you done so ? In Genesis, second 
chapter and third verse, we read, " And God 
blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, be- 
cause that in it he had rested from all his works 
which God created and made.'^ You see, that 
the day is blessed by the God that made it. 
Again, in Exodus, twentieth chapter and ninth 
verse, see how careful the Lord is, in telling 
you what time is allowed to man, for his earthly 
concerns ; " Six days shalt thou labor and do 
all thy work." I ask the reader, is thy labor 
done in six days ? Hark, the voice of God is, 



53 

Exodus XX. 10, " The seventh day is the Sab- 
bath of the Lord thy God : In it thou shalt not 
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy 
daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid- 
servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is 
within thy gates/' This is tiie word of God. 
See how strict he is, in giving you directions 
how you should conduct yourself. Will you 
still go on, abusing that holy day, till the God 
of heaven calls you to the judgment-seat of 
Christ ? How long will you disobey the voice 
of God, and still look for his blessings to raise 
you from your state of degradation ? He must 
see a disposition in you to do his will, and then 
you may look for the blessing of the Great 
Head of the Church upon you, in copious 
showers. 

In my travels, I saw a colored man, that 
stated to me, that he had not had one meal^s 
victuals cooked in his house for twenty-five 
years, on the Sabbath day. I staid in his house 
one week. He is, at this time, worth abouS 
fifteen thousand dollars ; he has been baptized^ 
and seems to be very pious. You had just as 
well cook your victuals on Saturday, for Sunday^ 
as to break the Lord's day cooking, and giving 
great dinners to your friends. Let us be more 
strict about these things. 

Look how many Sunday schools there are in 

America. Our v/hite friends have established 

many Sunday schools for colored children, but 

soiiiQ fathers and mothers are so little concerned 

5* 



54 

for the welfare of their children, that they do 
not send them. If God has given our white 
friends grace to establish Sunday schools for 
your children, 1 should think that you ought to 
have grace enough to send them. May God 
Almighty bless them abundantly for their good 
work. Come, then, old and young, and let us 
attend the Sunday school. 

So, my friends, we will go on to do our duty 
as far as we can to the whole race of man- 
kind. We have agreed to unite, one with an- 
other, to endeavor to raise up this 3roung 
generation ; to take our place in love and union 
among them jn this world. We think that the 
Lord hath commanded, and he will bring to 
pass. 

This united band of brethren can and must 
make soiiie regulation for raising the little ones 
that are under our protection. I talked about 
a division, but if we can get laziness out of the 
way, there need be no division ; for we are de- 
termined, henceforth, to lead an honorable 
life. We have, already, as honorable men as 
the world affords, in their station ; but this 
united band of brethren has a heart, feeling 
desire to see the whole race of free people 
united in one band, that they may instruct their 
children, and receive instruction one from an- 
other. 0, then, this union ; let it come, and fill 
the whole earth ! How good and how pleasant 
it is, when brethren all agree ! Come along, my 
dear friend, we have no desire to leave one be- 



55 

hind. But, sir, if you will not come and join 
this honorable society, and endeavor to live 
an honorable life, we must leave you ; for this 
united band do not intend to hold a dishonor- 
able person in their society ; for I want you to 
know, that at this time, we, as free people, have 
the raising of our own children, and we are 
called to pur duty. 

Brethren and friends that are now in Ame- 
rica, on land or seas, on rivers or lakes, or all 
below the sun, your warmest attention is called 
to awake up to this laudal)le work. Oh, will 
you come and help us in this great work ? Lay 
hand and heart to work, and may God roll on 
a full union among this people, when they 
shall all seek the same thing, and be willing to 
join together, and be a heart-feeling people, 
joined in one solid band of union, never to be 
broken, till the sun shall rise and set no more. 
0, that God would write every name in heaven 
that joins this United Band of Colored Citi- 
zens of America ; for our hearts are engaged 
before God, to give our children to the Lord our 
God, that we may raise an honorable nation. 
This old people must be engaged night and day, 
for we have lost too much time. We might 
have had this good work going on long ago, 
had we had moral courage enough to take this 
in hand. And, as we are defermined to look 
more diligently into this, amongst a multitude 
of counsellors there is safety ; and we shall be 
safe, if we do what God Almighty has told us 



5Q 

to do ; namely, train up the child for God Al- 
mighty's own use ; he will make the man of 
him. We feel for this great mass of young 
people, growing up without homes; and we 
think, and are sure, that by taking them in 
hand, giving them a good education, and learn- 
ing them habits of industry in a manual labor 
school, that thousands of them may be put in 
the way to have good homes. I shall leave this 
subject with you, feeling that you like to have 
smart children, that can attend to business. 

I think, of all people under heaven, this peo- 
ple has the greatest right to endeavor to im- 
prove their minds and themselves in general, 
for the great v/ork of God Almighty ; and how 
can this general improvement take place, ex- 
cept we become united, and then form such 
regulations that actually will be a benefit to 
the whole nation. 

Then let every state and county, and town 
and village, wherever the colored man is, be- 
low the sun, and he is free, I say again and 
again, let them choose them a man or men, and 
send on to the great National Convention 
that shall be held in the year of our Lord, 1847^ 
time and place mentioned after this ; for there 
must be a general meeting of this people, be- 
fore we can accomplish this union that has to 
be accompUshed, before we need to open our 
mouths about elevation or honor, or the ge- 
neral education of the youth. 

Then, let each state or county, or city or vil- 



57 

lagGj or town or any place below the sun, send 
a man or men to represent them to the conven- 
tion. I say agam, that they should hold meet- 
ings with each other, in the different places 
mentioned, and see if this union could not be 
accomplished, in order to let the convention 
know that this union can be accomplished. 

I say again, that all those different societies, 
and every name and order, without respect of 
persons, may send from their different stations, 
a letter to the convention, and that letter shall 
certify that they certainly do see and feel the 
need of this union, and to let the convention 
know, that your hearts and souls feel, to be 
united to the great United Band of Colored 
Citizens of America. Then send your letters, 
with the pledge. .All those letters should be 
kept in good order by the convention, and or- 
dered to be bound in a i30ok, that the rising gene- 
ration may hear about the great meeting of their 
aged fathers. They w411 hear how their fathers 
came together on that day, and presented their 
names and pledges, to be united to the great 
body of colored citizens, that are now free. 
Colored men of America, wherever you are 
scattered in different directions upon American 
soil, prepare for this great meeting. Oh, that 
God would enable all free people to send their 
man or men, to the National Convention ! 
Send your name, and place of residence, with 
your desire and pledge, that the same may be 
recorded in the great Ledger that shall be 



5S 

handed down from generation to generation. 
Then shall they remember that this nation has 
made agreement before God and angels, that 
this union shall exist till the sun shall rise and 
set no more forever. Amen ! Even so ! Come, 
Lord Jesus, and help this people to stretch out 
their hands unto God. 

Again, by your sending a letter we shall 
know that a union is already formed as to your 
part. The record shall be made according to 
your desire. So send the desire of your soul. 
May the God of heaven and earth enable you 
all to live in peace and union from this time 
until the tongue is still in death. 

Particular pains should be taken how you 
speak to each other, and to every body, for if 
we are going to make an improvement, we 
should irpprove the whole man. So I am for 
making an improvement in our words. Let 
even the thought of this union, never to be 
broken, cause wrath to cease, and bitter words 
to be thrown away like the chaff of the summer 
threshing floor. 

Dear friends, this little book is now coming 
to a close. I pray that God may open the hearts 
of all who read this little book for the recep- 
tion of the things written in it. 

But before I close these remarks, I shall call 
on all the females that live this side of the haven 
of eternal rest. You expect to rest your soul in 
glory in a coming day ; do you not wish to meet 
your children there ? I call on you to let the 



59 

God of heaven rule your judgment in this great 
work, for I do assure you that it is your child- 
ren that the God of heaven hath put it in our 
hearts to endeavor to unite in one band of 
union, in order that wa may give a general 
education to this young race, without respect 
of persons, so we call on you to assist us by 
lending your aid in this matter. Much may be 
done by you in carrying on this great work. 
then, let young and old say, seeing that God 
hath spared my life to see these days come, I 
will aid this union band. Then, sisters, form 
yourselves in bands. Call them union bands, 
and meet once a month and bring something 
with you, and all put your mites together for a 
school fund. Then the convention will not 
have to wait till one year before they can begin 
their operations, but they can say in 4he con- 
vention where they will establish the first 
school, appoint men to attend the work, and go 
right on and raise schools. You can then send 
your children to a school of your ov/n, and 
have them well taken care of. It makes no 
matter where they come from, all will be treated 
alike, all sleep alike, all eat alike. I have the 
opinion that it would be better for children to 
move them to different schools, so soon as we 
could get them in order to receive children ; my 
opinion is, that pious teachers would be the best 
for these schools. 

I cannot close before I give a general call to 
the colored citizens of America to attend the 



60 

National Conven.tion in Pittsburgh, on the 
first Monday in September, 1847. 

A resolution was passed at the convention of 
colored ministers, held in Philadelphia, in July, 
1846, appointing a committee to call a National 
Convention to take into consideration the gene- 
ral education of our youth, and also the gene- 
ral union of those free people of color that are 
now scattered in different directions in the 
United States of America. The names of the 
committee calling the Convention are the fol- 
lowing : — 

John B. Meachum, St. Louis, Mo. 
William Williams, Washington, D. C. 
Jeremiah Asher, Providence, R. I. 
James Mo C. Crummill, Philadelphia, Pa. 

The cteimittee calls upon all the free colored 
citizens of the United States. It is an especial 
call for the union of this great body of people. 
Do not fail to come, all of every name and 
order, far and wide. Send your man or men, 
id show that your heart hath joined that body 
of colored citizens. Our souls shall cry for 
union from one end of the globe to the other as 
far as an Ethiopian's foot has trod the soil, and 
the news reaches the ear. 

^ We are going to come together in the year of 
our Lord 1S47, on the first Monday in Sep- 
tember. We shall endeavor to form plans, and 
establish manual labor schools in different direc- 
tions, wherever the convention thinks most ex- 



61 

pedient. Let this union be formed and the 
representatives strike hands and hearts together. 
Let us form a union that never shall be dis- 
solved so long as the sun and moon and stars 
shall move on ; when all these give up their 
courses and fall from their places then our 
union will cease in this world, but then we shall 
go to join that great company that is spoken of 
in Revelation. 

In order that we should not wait a year be- 
fore we begin operations, let us be active about 
this matter. It is surely worth your notice. 
Begin now to hold your meetings and put all 
your pennies together, and send them by the 
man that you send to the Convention. If all 
will do this, when the Convention breaks up, 
then those who may be appointed by the Con- 
vention to attend to this business, can begin 
immediately. Do not. fail to send your mites, 
for we have lost too much time already. 
Friends, work a little harder. 

Certainly the mothers of the children will 
wake up on this matter. The ladies can do a 
great deal if they form themselves into circles, 
and pay in school funds. And the young men 
should form themselves into companies called 
the United Band, and raising this school fund, 
and in a little time the school will start, and then 
you can have the privilege of going to this 
school. And in a little time we will have some 
jkinds of trades going jon there, and you can 

6 



62 

have Ih'e privilege of learning a good trade, and 
getting a good education at the same time. 

Do not fail to pray that God would bless the 
deliberations of the Convention, so that the 
temporal and spiritual welfare of our race may 
be secured, and the glory of God promoted. 



NATIONAL CONVENTION. 

The National Convention of the Colored 
citizens of America, will be held in Pitts- 
burg, on the first Monday in September, 1847. 



I 



4 « 

-' 3 


















.-. -^^ 



^ J^ 













.v*^ 








•hi? 


















<^.**^^^»* .G^ 







r-. '^^^^<^'^^ '^'^m>>r'^^^j ^ 



£^^^ - 







••\/ "q.;-^^??^* <o'^ ""^- '^ 







A ' • 1 1 









^0^ 



■«> • 



)* .IV. 



■^> 



1* 




^ »!aW/)v*- <%,. .*« .' 









^:i^*^ 



^ ^. 






v^. 






"^ov* ;■ 









•* .-f*^ 'J. *'T^'' «■) ' --^^^ *?!»?f.* 



VVtRT 

8OOK8<N0<NC 

Granrvill^, 
J8fi Feb 198« 



